Pity I didn’t write this earlier in the day. If I had, I could say something like, “This time yesterday I was standing amidst palm trees and warm breezes.” As it is, I’m about 28 hours post palm-trees-and-warm-breezes. Sorry if I make it sound too pleasant. South Florida is, in actuality, a place as close to hell as I know.
I am not, however, happy to be home. The theme of 2004 is: ‘Anywhere but here.’ Now that I’m back ‘here’ I’m already annoyed. I think I’m a man adrift. There was a time, not too long ago, when I couldn’t bear to be away from Gettysburg for a weekend unless I was travelling with friends. This was the center of existence. I was nearly a part of the community, the pals who weren’t here wished they were and everything I could ever want was within walking distance.
That’s all pretty much up the spout now. Folks are still around but you don’t run into them all that often. More often you spend a weekend just lounging about with nothing to do. Nothing to do is not conducive to my healthy mental state. Better to be anywhere else.
Besides, I have to figure out where to go in September to keep my monthly airplane experience record unbroken. Three months and running, plus March. I think I’ve already picked a destination for October.
Maybe I’ll do the unthinkable and actually travel back to Miami. Sooner or later I have to see this South Beach thing everyone keeps telling me to see. I am getting tired of making excuses.
You’ll have to keep an eye below this post. I wrote occasionally from the road but never had the time to finish up and post those entries. I’ll try to get them done post-haste.